Broken Promises
by Sande Hamilton
Summary: A broken down Scotty becomes Sonny's slave. Will Karen be the only one who can save him?
1. Default Chapter

Broken Promises  
  
By Sande Hamilton  
  
Chapter One  
  
It had been more than a couple of hours since Serena was supposed to be picked up at school. She stood out in same spot her father Scotty always picked her up in the parking lot. She clutched her backpack to her chest and tried not to panic. Maybe his car had broken down or he was tied up with work. But, Serna knew that no matter what her father got into he always managed to find a way to contact her. He never left her stranded. Her teacher Mrs. Ellen was crossing the parking lot to get into her car when she spotted Serena. "Are you still here" she asked in concern. "Yes," admitted Serena in a small voice. "But I am sure my dad will be here any moment," she said not wanting the teacher to think anything bad about her dad. "Well," said Mrs. Ellen, "I'm sure he will be but, maybe I will just wait with you until he arrives."  
  
  
  
Across town in a beaten in stink hole known as the Rats Cellar Scotty Baldwin, attorney at law, sat soaking in one of the many drinks he had had that afternoon. Vodka, gin, rum, it didn't matter. What mattered is that they helped him forget. Forget her face. Forget her words. Forget her look of pain as she deflected his love. No matter how many years went by Laura would forever have a hold on him. Why had he thought this time would be different? It was a joke the way she so easily dismissed him and took off once again to Luke. Luke who used her. Luke who cheated on her. Luke who broke her heart time and time again. Luke who committed the worst act a man can commit against a women and then tried to pass it off as uncontrollable love. An act Laura had forgiven him for. Scotty finished off his drink and ordered another.  
  
  
  
Morning sunlight crawled behind Scotty's eyes ushering him into a new day but unfortunately not familiar surroundings. He blinked hard a couple of times and tried to get his bearings. So much about last night was locked in a hazy picture that he could not seem to make clear. Suddenly he was aware of something or someone stirring next to him in the bed. Silently as he could he turned to see who was sleeping next to him. It was an attractive blonde who appeared to be in a deep sleep. Hoping not wake her he slid out of bed making as few jarring movements as possible. She remained asleep as he hurriedly found the bathroom and escaped to its cold sanctuary. He felt like a team of horses were riding across his brain and someone had installed instillation on his tongue. The payback of a night spent sucking back glass after glass of poison he supposed. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. A broken down old fool stared back at him. He shook his head and splashed some cold water on his face. It made no sense. After all these years to still be hung up on a women that would never be his. What was his problem, he wondered to himself. He had a good life and two beautiful daughters. His heart sank. Serena. He had forgotten to pick up Serena. His head was filled with nothing more than thoughts of making sure she was okay and the disappointment and concern she must be feeling. A knot was forming in the pit of his stomach. He had to get out of there. He had to get back home. If only he could figure out what had happened to his damn clothes.  
  
  
  
Sonny Corinthos stretch out on his bed relishing a few minutes of quiet before he had to begin his day. Today was a meeting with a local building contractor that had been giving him some trouble. He did not look forward t having to straighten him out. Not that Sonny would back down if pushed after all this was business and business was not personal. The man made a promise. The man must own up to his promise. A promise was something that Sonny took more serious than anything in the world. Well, time was not going to wait for him, he thought to himself as he rose from his bed and headed for a hot shower. He also did not want to spend to much time mulling over things for fear that his mind would start to drift towards the promises broken by Carly, the growing feelings he had towards Alexis and the every present emptiness of his penthouse and his bed. He knew he had to stick to his word and leave Carly out in the cold forever. After all, it was the string of broken promises that carved out his young life and he was not going to put himself back in a position to get hurt all over again by forgiving and then getting stabbed in the back once again. The hot water streamed onto his dark smooth back as he washed away all thoughts of forgiveness and of Carly and prepared for the day ahead.  
  
  
  
Lucy balanced Christiania on her hip while she waited for the microwave to spit out the morning breakfast. She had received a call from Serena's teacher and had taken Serena to her house anxiously awaiting the call she knew Scotty would make as soon as he was able. Scotty had been a lot of things in her eyes over their years together and even when they were not together but, she had never thought of him in any negative way when it came to his skills as a father. Dedicated, loyal and trustworthy were the only words that could describe his behavior towards his role as parent. That made the fact that he had left Serena to stand around alone after school all the more worrisome especially in the light of all that had happened to poor little Serena so early in her life. Scotty never took any chances with her. He always had his cell phone ready. He always arrived when he said he would and he always made arrangements for the times when he was unable to get to her. She quickly turned her thoughts to more pleasant ones for fear that her negative vibes would carry themselves to Serena and worry her more than she already was. The microwave gave off a pleasant chirp which made Christiania clap and giggle with delight. Lucy hugged her tightly and tried hard to send positive message across the city into wherever Scotty had found himself.  
  
  
  
  
  
Scotty slammed down the accelerator of his beaten in red pickup truck and swerved around a slow moving car. He had managed to locate most of his clothes (the whereabouts of his underwear would forever remain a mystery) and was rushing to get back to the firehouse. It would have almost seemed comical to him to be rushing to a firehouse instead of to a fire but, the irony was lost among his thoughts of Serena. Guilt blanketed him every time her face danced across his mind. He was sure someone had probably picked her up. After all she had so many people practically standing in line to take care of her, but that did nothing to erase his concern. He knew she would be worried. He knew she would be scared. These thoughts sent his stomach into great flip flops and caused his foot to press down even further on his gas pedal.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sonny sat comfortably in the back of his limo. Stock reports played quietly in the background as he stared out the window at the passing scenery. Money was hardly a concern in his life now, but he could never relax and assume that it would always be that way. He knew first hand what real poverty was like and what lengths it drove people to. He would never go back to that life. It was a vow he had made to himself when he was very young. A vow he fought hard to achieve. A vow that would never be broken. The car stopped at an intersection. It was in the section of the city that few came who did not have the kind of business that they did not want people to know that they did. These were the people who made up his business. People whose vices took over their lives. Weak people. Needy people. Hungry people. Hungry for a rush, a fix, a rescue from the depths they had slithered into. Sure he would help them. For a price. A very, very high price. A man, if he could be called that, came out of one of the back alleys. He was dressed in rags and walked with a bent over gait barely moving forward with each passing step he took. Sonny watched him go with little interest. So many people, so many stories. Was he a man spit out by society or a man who had been offered much and spit it back in his race for the next sure thing, the ultimate prize? The man started across the busy city street. Cars beeped at him but he paid them little mind. Suddenly a red pickup truck came barreling over the hill bearing down at a fast clip on the crippled old man. The sound of screeching braked filled the air but, it was too little too late. The front grill pounded into the mans withered bones collapsing him into a pile of broken flesh on the pavement. 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter 2  
  
  
  
Scotty felt his head slam onto the steering wheel. A million thoughts tumbled through his brain as pain shot into his skull. Where had that man come from? Did he see the truck? Had he gotten out of the way? Was he dead? Was Serena okay? Why had Laura never loved him? When would the pain in his heart heal? His mind swirled. He became aware that his truck had stopped. He could hear the noise of people as they clamored towards him asking him if he was okay. He tried to answer but, found that his head was just too heavy to lift. He let gravity take over. The world went black the noises faded into oblivion.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sonny had reacted swiftly when he saw the vehicle smash into the pedestrian. He dialed an ambulance on his cell phone as he hurried out of his limo to see if there was anything he could do. The old man barely moved but, did appear to be breathing. In the truck the driver was lying face first onto the steering wheel and also seemed incapable of movement. Sonny went over to the truck to see if the driver was still alive. A mop of blood and blond hair was all he could see. He was unsure of whether to push the driver's head off of the steering wheel but, decided in the end that he did not want to be accused of "helping" the victim to any greater medical problems. He did check to see if there was a pulse. He found a fairly strong though erratic one. An ambulance came over the hill in as much of a hurry as the truck had been. It screeched to a halt. Fire trucks could be herd in the distance. A crowd was gathering. Sonny decided that his Robin Hood moment was over. He wanted to sneak away before cops and questions could follow but, something last minute caught his eye. Boots to be exact. Sonny had seen those boots before. Since he had such a passion for the finer things in life he would often remember a nice pair of shoes or a particularly well designed shirt and tie that a wearer might have on. He stored these things in his memory bank and often tried to copy them, with his own personal twist of course, when designing and purchasing his own wardrobe. He remembered those boots. Black leather, simple. He had been thinking of purchasing such a pair the next time he was in Europe as their craftsmanship in leather surpassed American makers. But, where had he seen this pair? He stayed a few moments to see if he could sort the mystery out as the ambulance attendants began to question the driver. Getting no response they began to prepare the driver for transportation to the hospital. They lifted the still unconscious man onto a stretcher. It was then that Sony put the man and his shoes together. Scott Baldwin. A blowhard, a louse, a schemer who happed to get rich with the demise of his wife Dominique. A father who had abandoned his daughter Karen and now came back to flaunt his love for younger daughter Serena in Karen's face. He may have good taste in boots but, to Sonny that was the only thing that Scott had ever made a wise choice about. Disgusted that he had wasted time on someone as low as Scott. Sonny turned away from the commotion of the sirens and the crowds and quickly headed back to the silence of his limo.  
  
  
  
  
  
Lucy vaulted across the room pouncing on the ringing phone. She hoped that the voice on the other end would be that gruff tone of Scotty explaining himself and his actions of yesterday. No such luck. The crisp light voice of Gail Baldwin descended on Lucy's ears raining down a million questions and concern about her missing son. Gail had also been called by the school as she was on the emergency notification form but, she had been in with a patient and unable to pick up her messages until the session had come to a close. Lucy had been called and had picked up Serena by that time. Now Gail's concerns turned away from her granddaughter and onto her son. For years she had worried over Scotty's actions but, now she worried over his broken off communication instead of his ever pending jail sentences and lawsuits. Lucy broke off her questions by stating a simple good morning and admitting that though she too was worried she was sure Scotty would be back safe and sound that afternoon with a whale of a story. As the hours ticked by Lucy's conviction that this particular scenario would come true were growing weaker and weaker still, she felt a desperate need to keep positive energies flowing. Gail, ever the psychiatrist, could have torn through this flimsy excuse for denial but, she also felt the need to escape into their fantasy rather than dwell on the very real reality that something might indeed be wrong. After a few more general questions about Serena and Christiania Gail and Lucy hung up with each other. Neither one any more convinced by the other that things were status quo.  
  
  
  
  
  
Bobbie Jones had just finished a double shift and her feet were aching something bad. Amy came up to her sympathetic as always, "you sure you don't want to cover my shift?" she said with a smirk. Bobbie rolled her eyes, "not on your life!" she shot back. She was never so glad to have a day finally over. She had two people vomit on her, a kid with a dangerous combination of fear of needles and a forceful kick which he knocked into her shins with several times. Not a stellar day to say the least. Now black and blue and soar from head to toe she wanted nothing more than to slip into a warm bath, a cozy bathrobe and fall into a deep sleep. This however, was definitely not her day. As she gathered her things and headed towards the staff exit near the emergency room entrance a gurney and its attendants burst through the doors. This was nothing new but something about the prone figure drew her attention. Maybe it was the rumpled flannel shirt that she was sure she saw somewhere else that first got her attention but what kept her attention was the hair. Nobody, thank God, had hair like that. Even matted with blood Scotty's hair, a long running gag with him, stood out in all directions. Only now it lay as still as Scotty's unconscious body. Bobbie's stomach fell into her knees. Maybe it was the fact the Scotty was the first man she ever truly loved. Maybe it was his enduring friendship. Whatever the case something about him sparked something in her. Her aches and pains disappeared as she set off to follow the gurney and pitch in to save Scott. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three  
  
Bobbie stood by Scotty's bedside. She adjusted the monitor and made sure his leads were untangled. It seemed so unusual to see him lying so still. Stillness was something he was definitely not known for. The doctors had concluded that while he suffered blunt cranial damage CAT scan results reported negative. His brain appeared to be fine. No swelling on tears but, he had remained in a coma for a week now. Bobbie knew that the longer he stayed in this state the more difficult it would be for his body and his mind to recover. She felt so helpless. What good was all the medical training and years of experience that she had if she could do so little to help someone she loved so much?  
  
  
  
Gail and Lee road silently to the hospital. There had been many trips in silence over Scotty but, this one was different. It was not anger that was halting their conversation but, their desire not to talk about what was really happening. They had been there the day Scotty was brought in. They had been there everyday since. The shock that had hit them when they believed he had died with Lucy in the Everglades was like having someone throw cold water on you and send you out into an ice storm. Numb. That's what they had been but, this was like being stuck a million times with tiny pins. Each time you think you can relax, you think that there may be hope another pin would prick your skin as Scotty remained lifeless on the hospital bed. Lee made the turn into the hospital parking lot. Gail gathered her purse and a few items she had brought for Scott and prepared for the pins to start jabbing again  
  
Lucy and Serena stepped off of the second floor elevator; they hurried over to the information desk and quickly received the latest word on Scott's condition. Much to Lucy's disappointment Scott had not come out of his coma. She had hoped, especially for Serena's sake, that he had. "Okay pal," she thought to herself as she and Serena walked towards Scotty's room, "you have got to pull out of this one know, so many people are counting on you."  
  
  
  
Karen stood talking quietly to Bobbie when Lucy and Serena entered the room. Lucy and Karen hugged. Karen had been having a hard enough time lately with Frank and now this. She was worn out and it showed. Her eyes had deep black lines under them from all of the sleep that had escaped her in the past few days. Now she directed her affection towards Serena reassuring her once more that Scotty was fine, but his body had been in such a shock that his mind just needed some time to recover.  
  
  
  
In the hospital corridor a woman silently hung back listing to the voice spilling out of Scotty's room. She had only wanted to see him. To make sure he was okay, but she did not want to be seen. Not by his family. Not by his friends. Just by him. So she would wait. Soon they would be gone and then she would slip in unnoticed.  
  
  
  
Taggeret walked quickly down the hospital halls and into the room filled with so many of Scotty's loved ones. He had hoped to question Scott about the accident, after all a man had died as a result. He had spent many hours combing the neighborhood trying to get a straight story on what had happened, but that was not a neighborhood where anyone wanted to be remembered. He got no story other than many had seen the result of the accident but, the accident itself apparently went unnoticed. Lucy and Karen came over to where he was as soon as he entered the room. Their reception, however, was less than warm. "What do you want?" asked Lucy. Though she had nothing against Taggeret she had disliked him snooping around so much and asking so many questions about the accident. She knew Scotty. He would never drive reckless or hit someone on purpose. Didn't his condition attest to that? This had simply been a tragedy. A tragedy that was not over until Scotty recovered and was not made any easier by Taggeret sniffing around. Taggaret put his hands up in a pose of self defense, "I am only here to check on Scotty, and see if he is able to answer any questions about the accident." "Well you can see he can't," shot back Karen turning her back on him and walking up next to Scotty bed. "What is going on here?" the voice came from Lee who had just entered the room. His lawyer's instincts went up immediately. He too had been rather annoyed that Taggert seemed so hell bent on forming a case where no case existed. "I was simply checking on Scott," he said in defense of himself. "We will call you if there is any change I can assure you," Lee replied back. "Is that before or after you prompt him what to say?" Taggaret shot back. "Now listen, my son has been in a terrible accident." "Which he was responsible for," Taggeret interrupted. "You have no proof of that, but that shows me where your investigation is heading." "A man is dead. I am simply trying to get the facts straight." "Why so you can frame him better?" replied Lucy. "I am only doing my job." Taggaret replied. "Isn't that what the Gestapo said?" The voice was weak but defiantly Scottys. His eyes where open and boring deep holes through Taggeret. Lucy sighed outwardly and smiled inwardly to herself. Leave it to Scott, she thought, to wake up arguing from a coma. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four  
  
Taggaret circled Scott like a vulture eyeing road kill. He questioned him over and over picking at the meat of his story until nothing remained but the bones. Scotty said nothing of his drinking the night before or waking up next to a stranger the morning of the accident. He was, after all, a lawyer and knew not to blow his hand and reveal too much information. He said nothing of the speed at which he was traveling only that he had not seen the pedestrian and was unaware that anyone had been hit. Taggaret could not pin anything on him for now. No witnesses had come forward to state that they had actually seen Scott's truck hit the pedestrian and the pedestrian had managed to crawl far enough away from the scene that it was hard to place the blame for his death squarely on the accident. Taggaret was not satisfied he was getting the complete story but saw that he was making little progress and left Scott to visit with his friends and family.  
  
  
  
She swirled her straw in her soda and watched the ice cubes chase each other through the mini whirlpool she had created. She had watched as Taggeret grilled Scotty. Scotty was to sharp for him, this much she knew. She threw a few dollars on the table and rose to leave. Visiting hours would be over soon and then it would be her turn to visit.  
  
  
  
Serena, Karen and Lucy alternated between chastising Scotty for worrying them and hugging him in relief that he had survived and come out of the coma. All too soon visiting hours were up. Bobbie gently ushered them out of the room. "So," she said when she and Scott were at last alone, "do you want to tell me what really happened?" Scott let a look of pure innocence dance across his features. "I don't know what you are talking about. Everything is as I told Taggaret plain and simple." Bobbie held a smirk on her lips for a moment before replying. "If there is one thing I can be sure of in this world Scott Baldwin is that nothing you are involved in is ever 'plain and simple'." 


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five  
  
Money Laundering, gambling and of course drugs brought in a large slice of profits to Sonny Corthinos life. He covered all forms of human vice and the payoff for his services was large and constant. It is a fact of life that at one time or another most humans will fall prey to one of the deadly sins. It was also a fact of life that if you fell prey in Port Charles your fall would land you into the arms of Corinthos and his associates. But, it was not of these enterprises that he thought of now but one of his other big money makers; women. Flesh peddling through strippers, prostitutes or pornography was what was on his mind. He had never allowed anything as vile as child pornography or hard core action to muddle up his enterprises. He simple provided a few moments of comfort for anyone who needed companionship for the night or a beautiful woman to look at for just a few hours. Karen Wexler had been a solid earner. Hooked on drugs she was easy to keep under thumb and guard. But, soon it had grown into so much more. His mind heard the often repeated phrase "just business, nothing personal," but his heart was listing to a different message. He felt for Karen. They had similar experiences. Left at an early age by uncaring fathers to fend for themselves against adults who often used and abused them. He felt proud that Karen had freed herself from the world of the seedy and had risen up to become a doctor. It was a hard road but, he knew she was up to the challenge. It was fate, he was sure that had put him at the scene of the accident that morning. He had nothing but venom in his heart for Scott Baldwin. He had seen first hand the pain he had caused Karen and witnessed even now that dance of pain that crossed her face when Scott played the doting father to Serena. Karen may say she is fine but, Sonny knew different. Sonny was going to play his hand and take Scott through the same bowels of life he had forced his daughter into. He had caused pain in his life to someone Sonny loved and now Scott's pain was just beginning. 


	6. Chapter Six

Karen lay in bed trying hard to get up the energy to face another day of work. Not that she didn't like her job just that mornings seemed to always come so early and it would be so nice to never have to work again. Karen's life had always been an up and down affair. In her childhood it was always more down than up. Taking care of an alcoholic mother made her move from the fairytale world pf childhood to the harsh realities of adulthood at a breakneck speed. Sometimes she longed to live out her childhood again this time with Scott and her mother married and all of them living as one family. But, that was just a daydream; she was an adult and had lived through her own failed relationships so she could hardly fault Scott and Rhonda for not being the model parents she longed for. Recently she had even begun to create a relationship with Scott but, often it felt more cordial than a true father daughter connection. Only once in her life had she really felt protected and cared for and that was the time that she had spent with Sonny Corinthos. It was not a thought she liked to admit because his love came and an extreme price. She lived in a hazy world of drugs and stripping barely able to take care of herself and barely able to care what happened to her. Sonny was both the pusher and the protector. He got her the drugs she needed and she brought in the men and the money he desired but, she always knew that there was a line that he would make sure was never crossed. He would not let her slip away completely but would make sure that she was taken care for and looked after. After years of having to be the parent to a drunk mother it was nice to let go and let someone else be in charge. Karen shook her head and pulled of her covers. She sat up and let her bare feet smush into the carpet while she tried in vain to chase the thoughts of Sonny from her head. Theirs had not been a sane relationship. It was not a healthy way to live, she reminded herself. Still she felt a pull. A part of her would always love Sonny and would always hunger for the protection he had always offered her. She knew with him she would never have to work. She would not have to face anymore reality than she could handle and most importantly she would never have to run or feel ashamed of her past. Sonny understood what it was like to have to make do in a world that offered you nothing. He would never judge her for her past. Often in her relationships Karen had felt judge even if her boyfriends said they accepted her past. She could see the truth running across their faces. Would she go back to her old life? Was her old life that bad or had she, just maybe, enjoyed having strange men watch her as she peeled off layer after layer of clothing? They could never be confident of the answers to these questions and in truth Karen herself could never feel confident of the answers. She stood up and stretched. These thoughts had to shaken from her head. It was a life she clawed and crawled to free herself from. She could romanticize it all she wanted but, it was a harsh life that she was glad to be free from. Sonny Corinthos was in the past. She would never go back to that way of life and she would never go back to him. 


	7. Chapter Seven

"It's nice to be back home." Scotty thought to himself as he puttered around the kitchen making breakfast for he and Serena. He poured thick pancake batter onto the hot stovetop griddle and hummed in satisfaction as the batter sizzled. He waited a few minutes and then poked at the drying edges making sure they were the correct firmness before flipping them over. He prepared a plate and slapped the steaming hotcakes onto the plate. He flicked some small pats of butter onto their surface and watched as they made there melting decent across the hot food. He yelled up to the ceiling "Serena. Breakfast. Get them while their Hotcakes you Hotcake!" "Okay dad," he heard and then a thunder of footsteps and Serena and her clunky shoes trumped back and forth upstairs in the mad rush to get ready for school. Scotty poured syrup on Serena's pancakes making a happy face with the thick topping. When she was little she lived for breakfast with dad and was always trilled when he took the extra time t make happy faces and to flip the pancakes dramatically high and onto her plate. He sighed thinking about how fast she was growing up. The once cute little girl who doted on her daddy was turning quickly into and attractive pre-teen who talked for hours on the phone, wore odd shaped, large heeled shoes and constantly rolled her eyes in his direction reassuring him once again they he was truly not "with it" and was getting farther and farther away each day from ever being even remotely considered cool again. He knew someday soon a boy would replace him as the object of her affection and she would be busy with the hustle and bustle of her own life. He hoped that she took easier and more sane paths then he had in his life but, he made a silent vow to be their for her no matter what she faced and how many missteps she took on her way through life. Serena broke his thoughts as she rushed into the room. Her outfit this morning seemed to him a mishmash of wild colors that did not belong in nature let alone worn together but he was sure somehow that Lucy not only had a hand in helping Serena shop for such a wild combo but would whole heartedly approve of the getup. Serena slipped into her seat and began to pounce on her pancakes shoveling them in as if in a contest. "Hey, slow down there apple head your going to choke yourself." Serena gave him her faithful eye roll. "Daaaady, don't be silly. I will not choke. I know how to eat." "Okay, okay just don't blame be if you accidentally eat your napkin and a few other things as you shovel your food in like that." Serena sighed and continued eating. Scotty chuckled to himself and began his own breakfast. Even though she did not like it Scott insisted on driving her to and from school. He knew that she would like nothing better than to wait with her friends at the bus stop gossiping and laughing but, after being kidnapped twice he could not take the chance of letting her stand on a corner of ride the bus. Maybe he was being overprotective but, after the horror he went through when she was gone it was a habit he had no intention of breaking. After dropping Serena off he headed back towards the hospital. There were some papers he had to drop off concerning some minor legal manors in the charity Dominic had set up before she passed away from an inoperable brain tumor. When he looked at Serena he could still see Dominic and still feel the goodness she had given to his life. He stopped at a light lost in thoughts about a few minor errands he had to run that day. Suddenly he was aware that a black car was edging closer and closer to him from behind. "What a jerk," Scott thought to himself. "Where does this guy expect me to go?" The light changed and Scott sped away. The car followed close behind. Scott pressed on the accelerator even harder but the strange car continued to follow him. Scott made a sudden turn squealing his wheels the car did the same. Now sure that this guy meant business Scott continued to race hoping that this jerk would get tired and fall of or better yet wrap himself around a tree. Maybe this jerk needed a little dose of reality to see that chasing people down for daring to sit through a red light is causing danger to not only their lives but everyone elses. Scott drove toward a section of town where construction had not yet hit and the roads were more dirt than cement. "If this guy wants to play a little chicken then we might as well do it were there are fewer cars." Scott thought to himself. He could have backed down at this point but, he was never once to back down from a challenge. It was one of his best or one of his worst traits depending on who you ask. They continued to race until the car from behind gained a little more speed and pulled beside him. The car was driven by a serious looking man with a serious looking passenger right beside him. Suddenly it occurred to Scott that this may not be a young punk or fed up commuter after all. These guys wanted him and he did not want to find out at what cost. The car pushed closer to his own forcing him towards the shoulder of the road. Rather than continue running and race the possibility of winding up in the hospital yet again he decided to pull over. Both cars came to an abrupt halt. The two serious looking men immediately got out and rushed towards his car. He sat in his car feeling trapped. The men positioned themselves one on either side of his car windows but it was the man on the driver side who spoke. "Sonny Corinthos request your presence, and he requests it now." 


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight  
  
Sonny poured water from a crystal pitcher into a short fat water glass. "Would you like a drink?" he asked his visitor the now fuming Scott Baldwin. Sonny could almost see the cartoon steam coming out of the man's ears. It made him want to laugh but he kept a cool exterior. He had the upper hand and he intended to use it. Scott did not answer him about the drink in fact after barreling in here at a hundred miles and hours, his body guards close behind, and rattling off a list of insults and threats Scott had retreated to silence. "No drink? Okay suit yourself counselor. I just thought you might want to take a moment to cool yourself down." "Just what do you want Corintos," Scott said between clenched teeth. Sonny quietly sipped his drink for a moment before speaking. "What I want first off are you to sit down. I plan on making a business arrangement with you but, I don't appreciate having you stand over me while the finer details are mapped out." "I can't help but stand over you, you pint sized punk," Scott shot back, "and it will be a cold day in hell before you and I will be making any sort of business arrangement." "That's big talk from a man who has so much to loose." "Just what do you mean so much to loose?" "I know all about the accident. All those holes that are Swiss cheesing your story with the cops. I can help them knit it together real easy." "I don't know what you are talking about Corinthos." "Sure you do. You didn't crash that car without any help. There must have been something, or more importantly someone that caused you to slam on your brakes and pound your brain into the steering wheel that way. The police are desperate to pin the accident where the blame truly lies." "Oh, come on Corinthos is that all you have? Everyone knows that area. They know what kind of people hang around there. It's hardly going to put me away for hard time if and when they do decide to charge me in the accident." "But, like usual, your ego has made you miss the more important issue at hand. What was a single father doing in 'that type of area' as you put it? I happen to have witnesses placing you at several bars the night before, a report that found your daughter waiting around for you but receiving no word from you for an entire night and a blood alcohol report that shows you more than past the legal limit for impaired driving." "How did you get that information on me and what blood alcohol reports? Taggaret never mentioned anything about any blood alcohol report. Besides the accident took place the next day. Your barking up the wrong tree pal." "It may not have been your blood that registered that high the next day, true, but I have people that can certainly make it look that way. With your nights drinking and your lack of parental responsibility I am sure it won't be hard for the police to believe that you were simply drunk out of your skull and pounded your car into some poor innocent of the streets. In fact when my friends in the press get through I could have the entire town rallying around for your lynching." "You forget I have friends in this town too." "Not many. Your shady dealings may be in the past but there not so far forgotten that they could not be stirred up again. I mean what are you really? Just a con man who made good through marriage. How did you ever convince that sweet woman to marry a piece of trash like you? I wouldn't think there was enough alcohol in the entire world to make that reality happen." Scott felt a small stab at the thought of the drunken night in Vegas that had resulted in he and Dominic's marriage. But, he knew that their love was a true love and no two bit gangster wanna-be was going to change his mind or heart about that. "You really think this blackmail will work on me? Well it won't." "Brave, brave. I hope you're this confident and brave when you go before the child custody board." Scott's blood ran cold. He had already lost Serena once to Rex Stanton. He couldn't loose her now. Could Sonny really make it look like he was a drunk who had mowed down an innocent man? He didn't even have to think about that. Of course he could. Sonny had money and people in high places feared him. "You already cast one daughter out into the world to fend for herself out of your carelessness. Do you really want to make it two that have to suffer simply because you're their father?" 


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
After the meeting Scotty had practically ran to the nearest bar. He finished up his fourth drink and ordered another. Sonny had laid out the "arrangements" or their partnership. Sonny was to be the puppet master. Scotty was to dance on his strings. Plain and simple. Whatever, whenever Scotty was to go no questions asked. It was an agreement that sat heavy in his stomach. He had always been his own mind, his own boss. The leader, never the follower. Now, here, in an instant he became the lap dog to a man who had once poisoned his daughter with drugs. How had his life spun out of control so quickly? He downed another drink and told the bar tender to "keep them coming." Part of what haunted him was the truth that peaked out through Sonny's words. His life had been a train wreck. Everyone knew that. He would have sold his soul or anyone elses to get what he wanted. Even with Dominique it was his desire to get her into bed that had pushed him to walk her down the aisle. Even then it was a drunken walk that Dominique woke up regretting. God how mad she was! Her first and only thought was "how quickly can we get a divorce?" Scott downed another drink. His thoughts were beginning to slosh into one another. It was a nice calming effect. "I can't doubt Dominique's love for me," he said to himself but his heart sank lower as he thought of the many times she faced scoff and scorn for standing by him. And what about Karen? He could consol himself with the fact that he did not know of her existence until after she had faced many hardships in her life. But, did he make things easier once he knew he was her father? No. Did he rush to her side? No. He stayed in Canada and protected his other daughter. What a slap in the face that must have been. To know that your happiness comes only after someone else's. Even after he had tried to make it up to her she had to witness his past parading in front of him when Rex had taken him to court. The look on her face when so of those past misdeeds were announced through the room tore right through him. Everyone wants a parent to hold up and be proud of. Instead she got a two bit shyster who is more shady then shinning. The noises in the little bar began to fade away; the past and the imperfect present began to grower dimmer the alcohol was coming in strong once again to save him from his thoughts. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Lucy walked briskly down the hospital corridors. After so much of her life spent in the desperate pursuit of money it felt good to know she was working so hard to give back to others for no other reason than it made her feel good. Scotty had been acting very strange lately. He was late for picking up Serena several times and appeared haggard. Doc was ready to step in and get to the bottom of the matter. He did not want Serena in the middle of anything bad, or as he put it, "anything crooked that no good idiot has gotten himself into." Doc certainly never minced words when it came to Scotty. It was hard for her to keep it all together when the little girl she loved so much and had carried in her body for nine months often got passed around and thrown in the middle of Doc and Scott. Usually the men seemed to keep it all in check for Serena's sake but, more and more Scott seemed to be coming apart at the seams. The only way Lucy could not go crazy with worry was to concentrate even harder on the rest of her life and shielding Serena as much as possible. Today she had been up early getting Serena ready for school and preparing the presentation packets for the children's wing carnival which was due to come around in just a couple of months. She wanted to make sure that she got everything they needed to make this year's carnival top all the previous years. It had to, there had to be something in her life that came out on top, on time, and without complications. *******************************************************************  
  
She had taken to following him around town from time to time. Always the shadow watching from the wings. Never intruding but always involved. She was not a dedicated stalker by any means, simply an anonymous friend who was watching a man slip further and further into a dark hole with little chance of escape.  
  
Scott felt the whiskey burn the back of his throat. His eyes were glazed over lost in thoughts of his courtship with Laura. She had seemed almost an angel or better yet a princess locked away in a castle yearning to break free. He had been her hero. To see reflected in the gorgeous blue eyes that look of pride and joy that greeted him in those early days! But now it was pity. Pity! She no longer saw him as anything but a silly man who she had long outgrown. And to think she preferred that scum bag Luke. What did he ever give her that was worth a damn? Still lost in his thoughts Scott failed to notice a lone man enter the bar. The man glanced casually around the room before walking over and seating himself next to Scotty. "Barkeep a whiskey please and while you're at it give a few hundred to this fool seated next to me. You should take pity. After all, you would need a lot of stiff drinks too if you had to wake up ever day and be him." Scotty broke out of his memories with a start. "Spencer," he said with a growl "there better be a damn good reason you're here." 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven  
  
"What do you want?" Scott asked. His words came out more as an acuzation than a question. "Calm down cowboy," Luke replied in an even tone. "Don't get yourself into a little lather on my account. I'm simply doing a favor for a friend. A friend who is going to owe me big time." "What are you babbling about Spencer?" Scott asked in an annoyed tone. "Lucy is worried about you, and apparently with good reason." Luke looked him up and down. "Look at you or better yet smell you. Your like a brewery with legs. Back to your old habits hmm? Doesn't bother me any. I always knew you were no good, you just covered it up better with that all American boy looks of yours." The Baretender placed two shots of whiskey in front of them. Scott grabbed his like a starving man and slammed it down. "Your one to talk about past behavior Spencer," Scott practically growled at him." "When are you going to let it go man? Is that what this is all about?" "You would like that wouldn't you?" "Like what?" "For everyone to just forget. To just go along with that 'Romance of the century' crap" "Listen Pal, it's a love you could never understand" "Only a mental patient would understand it." "Laura understands it" "Or she was tricked by you." "Tell yourself whatever you have to" "At least I know what it real" "Yeah and that truth is what you have been running from for years" For a moment both of the men where silent. Scott's mind raced with anger. Luke Spencer; before him everything, after him nothing. "I came here because of Lucy," Luke began again in a slightly calmer tone. "She asked me to talk some sense into you for Serena's sake or have you forgotten about her." "I haven't forgotten anything," Scott replied. "No and I guess you never will." "Should I? Or should I do what Laura did?" "Which is what?" "Create the reality I can deal with. Pretend that the man telling me he love's me is a sweet guy who will love me forever not a man who threw me down on floor and raped me." Luke felt his breath coming quickly as he tried to control his fists. "You have no idea what Laura and I share." "Shared or forced I guess it's the same for you hmm?" Luke grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and raised him off of his barstool. "For Laura's sake and Lucy's sake I'm not going to pound you into the ground but, make no mistake if you ever talk to me like this again I will take you out." Scott knocked Luke's hands away and stood up next to his barstool. "Threaten me all you want Spencer. You are nothing more than a two bit rapist and Laura deserves better." "I got news for you she deserves better than either one of us, but it was me she ran to not you. That is what eats you up at night isn't it? To her you were nothing." Scott balled up his hands and threw a punch but his balance was off and he landed in a heap at Luke's feet. "That's were you belong Baldwin, crawling around in the dirt and we both know it." 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Karen stretched out her legs in the break room at General Hospital. The twelve hour shift she was pulling made her legs feel like rubber bands. She munched on an apple and found her mind drifting towards thoughts of the past. She remembered sitting on a break much like this one but in a place that was very different. It was the dingy break-room were the strippers hid out until their moment to go on stage. It was really little more than a supply closet that now contained a chair and mirror instead of mops and pails. She had worked a long night and was making a good buck. Sonny would be happy which in turn would make her happy. She was starting to develop a need to please him. Maybe it was a need that sprang from the emptiness that surrounded her heart where men were concerned. She always wanted so desperately to please them at the same time she resented all of the hurt that had been thrown upon her life and the life of her mother all in the name of men. Her mother had been just a young girl when she had Karen and her whole life was spent trying to keep herself and her young child afloat in an unforgiving world. And where was her father, whoever that might be? Nowhere of course. His moment was done. A little enjoyment, a nice diversion and then he took off. Typical. Women were nothing more that playthings to be discarded when they got old. At least with Sonny she knew the score up front. He was not feeding her lies about Marriage and love. Theirs was a business arrangement and a mutual friendship of sorts. He understood her pain. He helped her with her pain, giving her the pills that helped her forget the aching and the loneliness and all the wrong that had happened in her childhood. Had her father given her that? Of course not. Sonny understood having to fight for everything that came your way in life. They were cut from the same cloth. She looked in the mirror. The glare from the naked bulb hanging over her head made the lines of exhaustion under her eyes seem deeper as if they could never be erased. She piled on more makeup covering up the person she was with several layers of the person the men paid to see. The stripper, the naughty school girl, the pin up, the fantasy. Sometimes she wondered if her father was in the audience, if he knew she existed. She would fantasize that he would see her strip and would become so enraged that he would climb on stage and protect her. Together they would leave the world of Stripping and pills and fantasy behind to find a clean, respectable way of life. Karen snapped back to reality. She looked at the half eaten apple in her hands. It reminded her of Scott. A mix of emotions swelled up in her. Emotions that she could never quite place. Anger, loss, heartache? She was not sure. Why had she been thinking of Sonny so much lately and why was she rehashing emotions over Scott? He could do nothing about the years they lost together, she knew that. Then why was her mind so distracted? Her pager gave a violent shake. She stood up, threw the apple in the trash can and left the break room and her unpleasant memories of past behind. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

She had watched the two men argue at the bar. She knew Scotty of course and she guessed, from descriptions she had received, that the other man was Luke Spencer. Her source had known of the bitterness that lay between them but not what the catalysis for the bitterness was. If she had to venture a guess she would say it was a women. It always seemed to be about love in one way or another. That's why she had always skirted away from love. She was not going to let her emotions overtake her. Her life was her work plain and simple. It was her work that caused her to follow Scott and it was work that caused her to remain silent and distant as he systematically destroyed his life. Not that it mattered to her what e did with his life. She was simply paid to observe and make a few hundred mental notes for later use. It was a job she had done hundreds of times in towns big and small all over the country. Often the job could get routine and even downright boring. Most people no matter they had mixed themselves up into led lives that were less than spectacular. Oh, sure there was the occasional tryst at some cheep motel wit an equally cheep partner or the drug bing leading to a scuffle with the cops but, even then they simply pleaded out begging forgiveness from the wronged party and going back to the mundane and the boring. Not this one though. He was a live one she had to admit that. Even perusing over his thick folder on the long plane ride into town had peaked more than just her general interest. Here was a man that listened, apparently to no one. Fixed political scams, broken relationships, cons of the highest forms. Enemies to numerous to mention Friends to loyal to be ignored. He was a bundle of contradictions. Still in the end he was just another job right? Unfortunately she found her mind drifting one to many times back to the night they had recently shared. It was just a night, just another way for her to get close to him, keep tabs on him. She had simply helped him to the nearest spot she could think of which happened to be her room. She had ever intention of leaving him on the couch and kicking him out at the dawns earliest light. They stubbled into the elevator of her building. She wanted to appear to be a little tipsy as well to explain why she was being so friendly toward a total stranger. The elevator doors closed and he leaned in towards her. So," he said in a slightly slurred tongue "what did I do to get so lucky?" He grinned at her.

"Who says your going to get lucky cowboy? I simply said you could stay at my place for the night so you don't have to drive home remember?"

"I didn't mean that kind of lucky . I meant lucky to meet someone kind enough to let a slobbering fool like me crash at her place." 

"You are a fool," she said with a devilish grin, "but hardly slobbering. If you play your cards right I may even let you get up first thing and cook me breakfast tomorrow morning."

"Your will is my command." 

"Really?" 

"Absolutely. So," he said leaning closer to her and staring at her with those gorgeous blue eyes. "Is breakfast all you really want?" She tried to respond but suddenly her legs felt a little weak and her brain felt ready to explode. He took advantage of the moment of silence and kissed her softly on the lips. Suddenly the prospect of only having this man cook breakfast for her seemed criminal. Still this was simply a job she scolded herself. Do not get to close. Do not start to care. He placed a hand on either side of her face and kissed her again. This time the kiss was strong. She felt her mouth push back onto his as their tongues wrapped around each other. By the time they stepped off of the elevator her line of thought on what was the job and what was her needs and what was one hell of a good kisser had blurred together. She shook of the memory consoling herself that she was after all only human. Besides, he had probably been to drunk to even remember the night at all. "I wonder than," she thought to herself, "what an evening with a sober version of this man might be like and what more pleasures it could bring?" Once more she scolded herself to keep to the matter at hand. Silently she watched. Scott eventually drank enough to cover what ever pain he was trying to desperately to erase. He got up to leave but his body betrayed him by swaying and staggering in a dangerous manner. He managed to stagger out the door and walked slowly along the docks with his head held down as if searching for something lost. He stopped for a moment and then turned and sat with a heavy thud onto a nearby park bench. She hung back in the shadows careful to never get to close. Careful as always to never let her pray see her until she wanted them to see her. He tipped to his side and laid down on the bench. She quietly walked over to him prepared to be as shocked as him at the coincidence of their meeting but, she needn't have worried. His eyes were closed and it was obvious he was content to sleep off the booze parked right there on that rotting bench. He was murmuring in his sleep. She leaned down to see if she could make out what he was saying. "Laura," he murmured but the rest slipped into incoherent mutterings. She stood and looked at him for a few minutes more and than quickly turned and walked away. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Lucy was just finishing up her breakfast and cleaning up the dishes left by Serena as she bolted out the door and off to school when she heard a knock on her door. She crossed the room and opened it to find Luke standing with that mischievous grin on his face. "Mornin Darlin," he said "I was hoping to find you still in your sexy lingerie." Lucy grinned back at him, "you are nothing but a flirt even at this hour!" He came into the room and gave her a quick hug. 

"So how is my favorite person?" he asked.

"Fine, but how about you? Have you and Laura settled down to any wedding plans yet?"

"No, you know I don't care."

"Well if Laura needs any help just tell her to give me a call."

"I'll do that."

"So what beings you by?"

His expression quickly turned solemn. "I would say a mutual friend but, he's no friend of mine."

"Scott?"

"Of course, Baldwin. Who else? Honestly what you want with that guy is a mystery."

"Just tell me did you talk to him?"

"More like talked at him"

"What happened?" Lucy asked with a knowing sigh.

"What always happens? You just can't talk to that guy."

"Some would say the same about you."

He smiled at her. "Well that's just because I reserve my really good conversation for the important people of the world. Not bums like Baldwin."

"Did you find out what he is up to?"

"Yeah, about a bottle a day from what I could see."

This news took Lucy by surprise. "He's drinking again?"

"Drowning more like it. Plastered like wallpaper. Tried to punch me and couldn't even make the connection. I think some of it was about Laura. At least that is what he babbled at me."

Lucy knew the history of Luke and Scott and Laura ran long with scars and wounds.

"But, that was ancient history. Why would that make him drink again?"

"Well her rejection of him again was recent. Besides he could never handle the fact that Laura just didn't want any part of him." 

Luke's voice faltered a little on that last remark as if he wasn't quiet sure was he was saying was really true. 

"I wouldn't worry about him to much doll. When he fell I noticed a nice mark on his neck."

"A mark?"

"Yeah, a hickey."

"A hickey?"

"Yup. It's seems our boy is back to his old self. I knew this good guy routine would wash out sooner or later. How someone like Lee ever wound up with a son like him is a mystery."

Lucy thought of D.V. Luke didn't know how close he was coming to another sore spot in Scott's life. He often thought that with D.V.'s blood in his veins he stood little chance of living anything but a less than stellar life. 

"I appreciate you talking to him Luke."

"Your going to try to sort him out aren't you?"

"I may"

"Look why don't you work on me instead? I'm a lot more fun." he grinned at this last remark.

Lucy smiled back. "I don't think there is a thing wrong with you Lucas that a cold shower would not fix."

  
  


Lucy decided that today would be a good day to go over and see her pal. It would also be a good chance to check up on him and make sure that he was taking care of himself after that recent nasty stay in the hospital. Some of the reports she had been getting from the gossips around town and more importantly the report she had gotten from Luke made her fear that her friend was sliding quickly down a slippery slope. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Lucy decided that today would be a good day to go over and see her pal. It would also be a good chance to check up on him and make sure that he was taking care of himself after that recent nasty stay in the hospital. And, most importantly, it would be a good day to do a little snooping to make sure that the local gossip that had been swirling around him lately was false. The report from Luke could easily be dismissed since Luke had no love loss for Scott still, Luke was not one to simply make up a story about him especially not to her. He make not like it but he knew Scott was important to her and in his own very Luke fashion he respected her friendship to much to lie to her just to get back at Scott. In truth she feared that Scott was heading very quickly down a slippery slope. One that she was not sure she could pull him out of. 

She pulled up outside of the firehouse. No signs of life greeted her as she got out of her car and headed for the front door. She knocked loudly but no noise greeted her. She tried again calling out Scott's name as she knocked. She still had the key and used it to open the door. "Yohoo anyone home?" she called out as she walked into the barely lit living room. The room was cluttered and musty as if someone had not bothered to clean up or open or let any light into it in a long while. Her eyes began to adjust to the dimness of the room and she spotted Scott's body face down on the couch. She would have been worried if it had not been for the loud snores pouring out from the couch cushions. 

She walked over to the couch and poked him in the ribs. "Hello sleeping beauty you have a visitor." He showed no response so she poked him again. He rolled over but his sleep and his snores continued unbroken. She looked down at him. Even in the dim light she could see that something was going on with him and it was not good. His hair was sticking up at many different angles and his clothes were obviously slept in. He sported stubble on his chin and had several deep lines on his face along with black circles under his eyes. She also noticed with a slight grin that despite all of this there was indeed, as Luke had stated, an unmistakable hickey on his neck. Knowing Scott as she did she was willing to bet there might have been a few fingernail marks down his back as well. She lifted up her foot and planted a very long and very spiked heel into his ribs. He sat up in a jolt. H blinked a few times and looked around trying, she guessed, to bring the world into focus. She sat down next to him on the couch. Anticipating the state he may be in she had stopped at a drivethru on the way over and gotten him a large cup of coffee. She held it out to him and he took it mumbling a grateful "thanks." They sat quietly for a moment. He blew on his coffee, took a few sips and then turned to her. "You always did know how to get me up and going," he said with a smirk. Lucy as not going to be fooled by his innuendo. He was in pain and they both knew it.

"So what's going on Pal?" she asked. 

He dropped his eyes. "What do you mean? Nothing is going on. I was sleeping until someone stuck a dagger like shoe into my rib cage."

"And," she said ignoring the show remark, "why are you sleeping in the middle of the day?"

"A man can't take a nap?"

"That was not napping that was passed out."

"Aww your exaggerating"

"Was Luke exaggerating the state he last saw you in?"

She could feel his body tense next to hers at the mention of the name Luke. His eyes grew sullen and dark and his voice dropped to a low growl. "Don't mention that scumbag to me. Besides, he is hardly one to judge someone elses behavior."

She let that comment lie for a moment.

"Okay, what about the state that I can see your in right now?"

"What state?"

"Look at your hair."

"I have always had hair issues."

"Your clothes."

"I prefer clothes that can take a little abuse."

"Your stubble."

"You know I hate to shave."

"The dark circles under your eyes."

"I'm a sucker for late night movies."

"The hickey on your neck?"

"The hickey on my...." his voice trailed off as he raised a hand to his neck. "Um, well" His face began to turn red.

"Don't bother coming up with an excuse pal that look on your face says it all. You don't know how it got there do you?"

"Can I help it if I'm irresistible to women?"

"Nice try but I'm not buying it. Have you forgotten that you have a young impressionable daughter?"

"No. Look it's not what you think. I just went out and celebrated a bit to hard. It's not the end of the world. Besides Serena is at school and I will be rested and showered when I go to pick her up at three o'clock."

"That's great but she gets out at 2:30"

"Since when?"

"Since she started middle school last year. Are you sure your feeling okay?"

"2:30 yeah I just forgot."

"You have been forgetting a lot of things lately."

"I appreciate the coffee and the concern but, I am fine. I just need a shower which I think I will go and take right now. You are more than willing to join me," he paused and a grin danced across his lips, "but I imagine that would just rile up one of your many suitors. You can of course stay as long as you like."

With that and before Lucy could get another word of objection in he got up and headed upstairs.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

  
  


Sonny sat on his sofa passing a delicate crystal glass containing the very best brandy back on forth between his fingertips. Light classical music played softly in the background. This was the life he had pictured for himself as a child. A man of taste an refinement. His feet were bare and his toes curled slightly around the edge of the footstool in front of him. He tried to picture Carly sharing the moment with him. His mind had trouble wrapping itself around the image. Part of him could focus it in, feel her soft hair against his cheek as they snuggled in front of the fire or relaxed on the sofa. Another part of him would not allow the image to come in clear. It was not practical to wish for something that cannot be. In the end he let the image slip away. He did not to indulge himself in memories that could remain nothing more than memories. Better to focus on the present even if it was not as complete as he would have liked. 

  
  


Scott let the hot water pour over his skin. His memories of the past evening danced around his thoughts but did not come close enough to make sense. He did remember a female with blonde hair talking to him. He remembered someone telling him he had to go. Was that last night or many nights go? Was the blonde hair placed in his mind from Laura or had someone taken pity on him? He did remember a blonde who had recently showed up in his life. He could not exactly place her face but, he remembered the bed and the smell of her perfumed skin as they had fumbled with clothing. He even remembered bits of fingers and tounges as they found each other in the darkness but, the face never came into the light. Still, he was sure that the person last night had not been the same as the woman in the dark. The tone that whispered through his head when he tried to remember last night had a different quality to it. More concern than lust. More desperation and pleading than desire. But, pleading for what? He was not sure. And what about the hickey? His hand reflectively went to his neck and rubbed the spot that had indeed been there just as Lucy had said when he looked in the bathroom mirror. "Well Scott," he thought to himself, "whoever it was sure liked you better than you like yourself that's for sure." He closed his eyes. The water cascaded over his shoulders and ran in small streams down his back. He felt a slight sting and sighed sure that the soarness was the combination of hot water finding a home in the fingernail tracks down his back.

  
  


The music poured like a wave over Sonny as he sank deeper and deeper in the sofa cushions. He enjoyed the purity of the music. It's message left to the listener not forced on the listener by the composer the way so many rock songs force you to feel the same emotion as the writer. A small smile crawled over Sonny's lips as he thought of Scott. How nice it was to have him on his string dancing away at Sonny's hand. It was as it should be. Scott was lowest of the low. For a sweet deal he would probably even abandon his pride and joy Serena. Sure he was working for him because of Serena but, he was in his trouble because of his own stupidity. Much like the degenerate gamblers who try to beg there way back from the brink of oblivion. Sonny had heard enough fake promises of redemption in his life to fill a million counties the world over. Scott Baldwin was no different. Karen may believe that he had changed but, Sonny would soon show her and everyone the truth. Up to now it had been easy chores and a long leash that held Scotty to him but, no more. It was time to up the stakes. Baldwin was about to feel the first true strike of pain and feel his leash close in tighter and tighter around his throat. The music swelled higher and higher as the smooth dark liquid from Sonny's glass slide over his tongue and eased through his body.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Karen slid into cool leather of her car seat. Being able to park in the dark parking garage instead of leaving her car to bake in the hot sun was one of the better perks of her job. Being on call twenty-four hours in a row was not. All she wanted was a nice long, hot shower and to crawl into bed. First though she had to make a quick stop at the local super market. She had not bothered to grocery shop lately and her cupboards were looking as deserted as a beach after the tourist went home. She backed the car out of it's parking space and drove slowly down the ramp towards the ticket booth. She fed her parking ticket to the automatic ticket taker and the orange and white bar lifted in victory. Soon she was out on the streets. The sun was glaring and she quickly put on some shades and cranked up the tunes. Her mother had always been critical of her driving. Even when she first learned t drive the only thing her mother seemed to say to her was "slow down." Her mother could be driving in the Indianapolis 500 and still go a safe and sensible pace of forty miles per hour. It drove Karen nuts. It wasn't until she happened to catch a ride home with Scott that she began to think that maybe the need for driving fast was genetical and that she had gotten it all from her dad not her mom. He had caught her looking at the speedometer and slowed down a little out of guilt. 

"Sorry," he said "I guess I forget what the speed limit is sometimes."

"That's okay," she said smiling "I was just amazed because mom is always kidding me about how fast I drive."

He chuckled. "Yeah, she would. I remember helping her learn how to drive."

"You taught her how to drive?"

"Well I took her out for practice runs around the parking lot a couple of times. She was always afraid to go fast."

"Still is. She always said my driving was going to be the death of her."

"Heavy foot hmm?"

"Yeah. It just gets away from me. I don't know why."

"Well sorry about that."

"Sorry about what?"

"Well...it seems like you got a lot of my reckless traits or maybe it is just that I have so many reckless traits to give that a few were bound to rub off."

This thought made her happy. A last she had found a connection between the desire to go to the edge and the desire to drive sensibly.

"I hope you don't make as many mistakes as I have," he continued.

She felt a little hurt. Was she one of the "mistakes" he was referring to. Almost as if he could read minds he said "not that occasionally I don't do something great. You and Serena are living proof to that."

The traffic crammed in on both sides of her as she merged onto the highway. Her foot began its heavy decent as the needle rose higher and higher in a hurry to catch up with the cars ever increasing speed.

  
  
  
  
  



	18. Chapter Eighteen

Karen walked down the to bright shop mart aisle. What she mainly wanted was some good old fashion comfort food for when she woke up later today. Nothing she had to cook. Just something chock full of salts or sugars and other ingredients destined to make her rush to the gym three days later in guilt. Multicolored labels begged her to try their "new and improved" flavors. She turned the corner and found what she was looking for. Ice cream. Sweet, cold beautiful ice cream. It was the treat that she and Scott ate while having their first father daughter moment. It was also one of her favorite foods. If she had been in charge of creating the five basic food groups three of them would have been ice cream. The other two would have been French Fries and Pizza. Not that she ever told her patients this. Besides guilty pleasures would not be guilty pleasures if you ate them everyday. She opened the clear glass door. A blast of cold air hit her as she searched out for her favorite. Rocky Road. All of that chocolate, marshmallow and nuts thrown together was enough to send her into spasms of joy. She reached in an grabbed a gallon and quickly turned around and smashed into someone who was standing behind her.

"Oh, excuse me," she said still concentrating on her ice cream. 

"That's alright I know how much you love your ice cream." 

The voice caught her off guard and she immediately looked up. It was Sonny. "Of all the ice cream aisle in all the world, " she thought to herself.

He had grabbed her arm when she had spun around afraid she would loose her balance and he still held it gently. She snapped it back.

Something about Sonny always seemed to throw her off balance wither figuratively or, as in this case, literally.

"How have you been?" he asked

"Fine."

"I saw you on the news recently."

"Really when?"

"It was a report on area hospitals. You were in the background. You looked very professional."

"Thanks I guess."

"What I mean is you looked like you really belong at that hospital."

Her heart gave a small, strange jump. Some part of her was pleased with his compliment. 

"Thanks again."

A silence fell between them. Karen took the moment took look at Sonny a little closer. This man, after all, had been such a big part of her life. It seemed strange now to have so little connection with him. Still, his connection with her had hurt her and left her with a addiction that she always carried with her. His eyes seemed tired as did the rest of his body which seemed to hang as if all of his limbs were to heavy to carry. 

"You look tired." she said unsure of why she had blurted such a thing out. 

"Well it has been a rough night."

"Yeah, I'm just going home myself." again she was shocked with herself. Why was she giving Sonny this information?

"Really? Out on the town?"

"No working late." 

"Oh. So what have you been up to lately? Besides work?"

She was not sure how long she could carry on a conversation with Sonny. Part of her still wanted to scream and hit him for all the pain and humiliation he had put her through. Part of her wanted to run into his arms and feel his strong, warm lips on hers. It was the part of her she wanted to bury and forget. 

"I keep myself busy. I spend time with my mom and with Serena and Scott."

A smirk crossed Sonny's face at the mention of Scott.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Sonny said his face turning once again to stone. 

"I know you have your problems with Scott, but I know him to be nothing but a loving and caring man."

"Who did nothing for you for many years."

"That is not fair. He did not even know that I existed."

"But what has he done since he has known? He spends more time wit Serena than with you."

"At least he never intentionally hurt me for his own gain."

Sonny felt a sharp sting at her words.

"You waited so long for a father and in the end you got Scott Baldwin."

"Scott is a good man."

"Are you sure? Word around town is he's a drunk."

"That is not true."

"I saw him with my own two eyes pounding down drinks at Rat's Cellar. Not only that he left with a blonde tucked under his arm. Some great example for Serena."

"I am sure that if this is true he did not come home drunk to Serena."

"No, of course not. Instead he leaves her with a realize or hell maybe even a total stranger so he can go lay around in a gutter."

"You're lying."

"Don't believe me. It really doesn't matter. His true colors will come out soon enough."


	19. Chapter nineteen

Sonny paced back and forth across his living room. He was expecting Baldwin. He had paged him over two hours ago. No one made Sonny wait. No one made Sonny feel that his call was unimportant. Baldwin would be made to see the errors of his ways as soon as he arrived, Sonny would make sure of that. The run in with Karen had left Sonny a little shaken and very agitated. He had not expected to push her father's shortcomings into her face that way but, it seemed a bitter irony to him that out of all the father's in the world she was burdened with Scott Baldwin. What burned him even more was that even in Scott's various states of drunkenness, anger and stupidity he was still held in higher esteem throughout town that Sonny was. It was the fear that grew over people. Sure they were polite to him and occasionally he was given an invitation to an important social event. In the end though they either treated him like a circus bear expected to perform or a "silent" partner who could deliver the cash and the muscle but, stayed behind the scene lest he mess up the reputations. Scott Baldwin also had cash. He was invited to the best events, but when it came time to take a few photos for the local paper no one suddenly developed camera shyness the way they did around him. And Karen. He had to admit it hurt him that she would so quickly jump to the defense of Scott while all but writing himself off as no good. He knew he had hurt her by giving her the pills and using her for profit. But, she had changed him. He went from seeing her as just another dollar sign to a the one soul he felt truly connected with. When he was with her he knew she understood the struggle. She understood reality that the same people who looked down their noses at you during daylight hours would be begging you to fill their needs as soon as the sun went down. Scott had not been there during her climb from the gutter he had. Scott had not seen the hurt and desperation in her eyes when another of her mother's boyfriends would beat up on her or her mother. Sur he gave he pills. He would give them all pills if it helped them to forget. How could she not see Scott for what he was? Just one more of those daylight do gooders? Bt, when the sun went down Scott was a dog like all the rest. Somehow he had to make her see that. It was for her own good. For now though he was enjoying making Scott pay. He quickened his pace becoming more and more agitated as the minutes clicked by. Finally a quick rap sounded on his door. One of his men opened it and escorted Scott in. Scott looked haggard.

"Have you taken to sleeping in the gutter now?"

Scott remained silent.

"Nice mark on your neck. A young daughter at home and look at you. Sleezing around with whores."

"I was not with a whore."

"Like you remember who you were with."

Sonny could see the sting of recognition on Scott's face.

"I saw Karen recently."

"You leave her alone."

"Oh, what is this? The concerned father act? When is the last time you saw her?"

"She does not need scum like you in her life."

"Scum like me? What about scum like you? You don't know what she needs."

"She doesn't need you. You got her mixed up with drugs."

"I guess the fact that she grew up without a father had nothing to do with her dependency on drugs right?"

"I didn't know she was alive."

"Well she was Scott. And, she was in a lot of pain. But, we are not here to discuss her." 

"Well I'm here."

"Yeah, finally. You're late."

"Dock my pay."

"That's very funny. You're a funny man."

Sonny went to the bar and poured whiskey into a glass. "Do you want some?" he asked his back to Baldwin.

Before Scott could answer Sonny whipped around and threw the alcohol straight into Scott's eyes. He let out a short yelp in pain.

"You bastard," he screamed.

Sonny remained calm and still while Scott doubled over from the pain.

"No one keeps me waiting. I don't care if you're at your mother's deathbed. When I call you jump."

Sonny turned back towards the bar. Grabbing another glass he poured himself a drink. He turned around and slowly sipped from it while Scott continued rubbing his eyes and cursing.

"There is a bathroom straight up the stars if you can make it that far. After you get cleaned up I have a job for you."

Scott began to walk towards the stairs.

"Oh, and do hurry. You know how I hate to wait." 


	20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

  


Blood fell in small droplets onto the cold cement floor of warehouse number fifteen down on the Port Charles docks. The docks had a long and sordid history. Many men and women found disgrace, heartache and even death waiting for them here among the discarded shipping crates and smell of rotting fish . Tonight was no different. Sonny's instructions had been brief to Scott when he returned to the living room. A pigeon owned him money and had refused to pay up. Scott was to bring back the money or the pigeon's complete set of teeth. The Pigeon turned out to be Ralph Smeld. Small time gambler who had run himself into big time debt. His biggest crime? Borrowing from the mob and then assuming that they like so many creditors they would wait quietly till he was good and ready to pay. This poor fool probably even thought that he could make some sort of time payment arrangement. Scott drew back his fist and released it full force into Ralph's already pushed in face. He could hear a faint popping sound as he felt bone give way under his heavy knuckles. 

"Sonny has been very patient," he said while Ralph whimpered with his head bent. Blood had now formed into a growing puddle underneath him that was soaking into the side of his left shoe. 

"Do you have the money?"

Ralph made a small noise. It might have been a word but it was lost as he began to sob.

"Save the theatrics. Just tell me if you've got the money."

The sobbing continued to grow. Scott hung back for a moment letting the man regain himself. Ralph had arrived at the warehouse with the assistance of two of Sonny's goons. Scott quickly tied him to a chair. He was shaking and made no major effort to escape trying instead to talk his way out of the situation. After a few minutes the goons left. This relaxed Ralph who seemed to take it as a sign that since there was only one man he would not be getting anything worse than a few idle threats and maybe a swift talking to. Scott let him spill out some conversation before landing the first blow straight between his eyes. Scott was no stranger to fighting and knew exactly which areas hurt the most when directing your fists at the enemy. After all, Scott had been at the receiving end of a fist more times than he cared to remember. He had taken a few shots of whiskey before he had to be at the warehouse and he could feel the alcohol starting to wear off. He was hoping this guy coughed up the dough before Scott was sober. The sobs had subsided. Ralph straightened up. 

"I can get the money," he said in a small voice.

"I need the money today. Now."

"I have to go to my Aunt's house. She will lend it to me."

"I don't care of you have to go to the presidents house. However you need to get the money is your problem."

"I can go there and meet you back here."

"Sure. I'll just wait around here with the Easter Bunny while you take it on the lamb."

"I won't run I swear."

"No you won't run cause I'm going to go to your Aunt's house with you."

  
  


The Aunt turned out to be elderly and in the early stages of dementia. She seemed to believe that Ralph was still school aged and that Scott was simply one of his friends who had come over to visit. Scott listened to her talk about what a "good boy" Ralph was while Ralph routed through her purse and lifted her check book. Ralph then persuaded his Aunt to sign his "report card," and they were off to the bank to get the newly filled in blank check converted to some cold hard cash. It was hard for Scott to watch a sweet old woman get robed before her very eyes and he was sure that the money would be sorely missed when it came time for her medication still, Ralph was the rat not him. He was simply the hired ape or more appropriately the enslaved ape that was working off his prison term. He would get Sony his money and then they were square or as square as he could be with him. Sonny could go back to squeezing every sent out of every two bit gambler and drug addict in town and Scott would be free to try and make some sense out of the swirling cesspool his life had recently become. The bank gladly handed over the cash and soon both men where on there way back to freedom. Ralph was breathing a sign of relief. 

"Could you drop me at my house?" he asked now in a much stronger voice than the one he was using when he was still tied to a chair."

"Where do you live?" Scott asked.

"Um well you could just drop me near the race track. My house is right around there."

Unbelievable. This guy receives a say of execution and can't wait to get into trouble all over again.

"Sure we'll drop you," Scott said.

  
  


A half an hour later Ralph sat at the Racetrack bar. His face was a checker board of small cuts. Both eyes sported black rims beneath them and his nose was swollen to twice it's normal size. His pants were slightly torn and his elbow were completely scraped up. 

"Rough day," asked the bartender when Ralph sat down.

"You could say that. Let me give you a piece of advice my friend. When you ask someone to drop you off. Make sure to ask that they actually stop the car."

"

  
  
  



	21. Chapter TwentOne

The meeting had not gone well. Scott had walked into Sonny's penthouse sure he was a free man. He left more tied up than ever It started out with the money. Scott handed over with a sense of triumph. 

"I'm glad to see you were able to handle this simple task," Sonny said barely looking at the money Scott handed him.

"Easy?"

"Yes. Most don't role over so easy. You got lucky."

"It was fists not luck that flipped him."

"Fist will not be enough with some of these creeps. They have been running up debt and running from one collector or another their entire lives."

"Well that is your problem now. I did what you asked. I performed a service for you now I'm out."

"Says who? I didn't make any promises to you. Did you hear me make any promises?"

Scott was silent for a moment but the burst out in anger.

"Oh come on Corinthos. It was implied. You didn't expect me to be your lackey for life did you? You have Morgan for that."

"There is a simple solution Scotty," Sonny paused. He loved to call Scott, Scotty. It was another small dig. A way to let Scott know he thought of him more as a boy than a man. "You can walk out that door right now. Maybe I'll tell the cops what I know maybe I won't."

"And I can just live guessing everyday?"

"Or you can stick with me and know you are protected. You have a bad track record Scotty. It would not take much to convince the cops you killed that pedestrian and then watch the courts come and take your daughter. After all she was already taken from you once and one of your other children was kidnaped."

"Don't you ever bring up Christina again," Scott growled at him.

Sonny held up his hand "I apologize. I was mearly pointing out that the social workers would have a field day with your case history."

"Maybe they would think nothing of your claim. After all you are hardly a credible witness."

"Except in this case Scott I have nothing to gain. Surely the police would take that into account." 

Scott fell silent again. A drowning man without any hope of rescue.

"How long is this going to last Corinthos?"

"For as long as I say."

"What do you gain by this?"

"What do I gain? A hired hand who will never tell plus the satisfaction of seeing a man pay his debt to society."

"Debt? What debt? What are you talking about?"

"You just don't get it do you Scotty? All of my crimes where committed to stay alive and make sure that my children would never suffer as I had suffered. Your crimes were committed with no thought to anyone but yourself and now your children are suffering."

"My children are suffering? My children are not suffering."

"Oh yes they are and always will. Being the child of Scott Baldwin is guilt by association and they will defending themselves for the rest of their lives."

  
  



	22. Chapter TwentyTwo

Chapter 22

  
  
  


Karen lay among the ruins of a gorging feast. An ice cream carton sat broken open and empty on the floor. Soda cans and a wine bottle all devoid of contents took up residence on the coffee table and two chip bags occupied one side of the couch while Karen, her hair matted to her head, lay snoring softly on the other side. She had been surprised to see Sonny in the store and angry that he would bring up Scott. Her anger had followed her home. She scooped out mouthful after mouthful of ice cream and washed it down with wine and cokes. Not the healthiest way to beat emotions but, at least she had not thought of taking any pills. Finally the sugar reached it's peak and left her limp. She lay back onto the couch still in the clothes she had worn home and passed out. Now a loud bell attempted to drag her out of her blissful sugar stupor. Who could possible be so daring or so stupid to call her so early on her day off? She groped for the phone and finally located it not in it's cradle but in between the sofa cushions right below the chips. She had no remembered making any phone calls last night. She hoped in her anger and with a buzz going from the wine she had not made any desperate phone calls she would live to regret. Karen began to worry. Maybe the voice on the other end of the phone belonged to someone who was so upset with a message she had left that they could not wait until daybreak when then could call her and give her a piece of their minds. She located the phone and gingerly pushed the talk button. She sighed in relief as the phone was filled with the sound of Lucy's voice. Lucy was the last person she would call in an angry drunken fit and even if she had Lucy would be the first one to laugh at the whole situation with her. 

"Hello," said Karen

"Hey kiddo. Look I am sorry to bother on your night off. I hope I didn't wake you."

Night off? Karen squinted at the VCR clock. Sure enough it was only eight pm. Sometimes the hours she keeps really did do a number on you.

"No. That's fine. Is everything okay?"

"Well that depends. Scott was supposed to pick up Serena at seven. I know he has been having a little trouble recently."

Karen was shocked by Lucy's words "He has?"

"Well nothing serious. Your father can get into his depressions that's all" Lucy tried to sound her most upbeat and casual but Karen could hear the concern in Lucy's voice. Scott was not one to let things get him down for long and even when they did Serena never took a backseat to any of his problems.

"I thought maybe you knew where Scott was. He probably told me but you know scatter brain me I forgot."

Another shallow lie but, Karen was too concerned to call Lucy on it. 

"Look," Karen said. "I'll go over to Scotts house. Maybe he just fell asleep early or if not maybe he left note."

"Could you do that? I would go over myself but, I don't want to worry Serena."

"Sure no problem."

"Thanks. Call me when you get there and let me know if you find out anything."

"Sure, bye."

"Ta."

  
  


Karen was concerned to see the front door to the Lighthouse slightly ajar when she pulled up. A strange car was also parked out front. She pulled in next to it and quickly got out. She felt a mix of fear and anxiousness as she approached the front steps. She waned to hold back, afraid she might find Scott in a horrible mess, the victim of a tragic accident. It was times like these, however, that her training as a nurse takes over. She knew that no matter what condition Scott might be in it could only be made worse if time is allowed to pass. She took the front steps in a jump and hurried through the front door. She was utterly unprepared for what was waiting for her. It was not Scott sprawled out in a puddle of broken bones instead she was greeted by a completely different blonde. A female blonde with legs up to her ears ,as Scott would say, and nothing on but one of Scotts dress shirts.

  
  



	23. Chapter TwentyThree

"Who are you?" Karen asked the startled women. 

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I am Scotty's daughter."

"I thought his daughter was young."

"I am his older daughter. You still have not answered my question."

"Um, I well... I am a friend of Scotty's"

Karen had to resist the urge to smile. It seemed to Karen that almost all of Scott's friends were women. When it came to "friends" of the female persuasion Scott would never be lonely.

"Did he give you a key?" Karen asked. 

"Um well no. I was here yesterday and well this morning and I just have not left yet."

"And, were is Scott?" .

"He said he was going to run to the store and would be right back."

"And he told you to just wait here like that?"

"Well not exactly I was going to surprise him."

"Oh, it did seem a little strange since Scott young daughter could be coming home anytime now."

"No, Scott said she had piano practice."

Karen had forgotten that Serena did indeed take up the piano recently. She had even complained bitterly to Karen about it the last time they talked telling her that it was 'extremely boooring'. Scott seemed determined though that Serena would do all the cultured and proper things that he never did when he was growing up. It was still another small sting to Karen's life. She grew up watching every dime and helping her mother through abusive boyfriends and alcoholic binges. She had no one to care if she grew up cultured or not. 

You know I am feeling a little uncomfortable here so I am going to go upstairs and change," the blonde said.

Karen took that as her cue to say"Oh no I should be the one to leave" instead she sat down on the couch. The women stared at her for a moment and then went quickly up the steps. Karen was not about to leave. After all, even with Scott's reputation it seemed very strange that he would leave a women to just roam about in his home. What could he possible need at a store that badly? Condoms screamed in her head and she shuttered the thought away. Well, she thought to herself, at least he is being careful. Or maybe he just doesn't want the hassle of any more kids. 

She could hear the women rustling around upstairs. In a few moments she came down stairs now dressed in plain black pants and a t-shirt. 

"I never caught your name," Karen said.

"It's Kathy," the blonde said lying.

Karen put on her best, sugary voice "Did you want me to make you some tea while we wait for Scott to come back. I'm sure it won't be long now."

"Um, no that is alright. I have to get going anyway. I mentioned that to Scott earlier so I am sure he will understand that I had to go."

"Oh, I am sure he will Scott is very understanding."

"Uh yes he is." The women who Karen doubted was actually name Kathy quickly picked up her purse and headed out the door barely giving a backward glance to Karen.

Karen sat down heavily on the couch. Maybe the blonde was not willing to wait for Scott's return but Karen was no matter how long it took. 

  
  



	24. Chapter TwentyFour

  


Chapter Twenty-Four

(Over eighteen only)

Sonny lay face down, his head nestled in the curve of his arms. The sun poured down on his smooth, dark, muscular back as drops of sweat ran lazily towards the edge of the small towel that covered his backside. A hand reached out and began caressing his shoulders. The fingers, definitely female and delicate to the touch, tiptoed gently over his shoulder blades and over the muscles on his arms. "Would you like me to rub some lotion on you?" his companion asked. "That would be nice," he replied relaxing further into warmth of the day. The fingers now wet with lotion pressed firmly into each curve of his skin rolling like small waves over each muscle. They continued downward stopping slightly to give and extra caress under his towel and down towards his inner thighs. He et out a slight moan. "Does that feel good?" she asked a slight laugh escaping her voice. Sonny nodded an affirmative. "Well, I am all sticky now. I think I will just have to jump into the shower and cool off." Sonny recognized the playfulness o the words but did not move. He heard his companion leave and then the blast of the water as it burst from the shower head. He got up and walked into the shower room. A light mist already hung in the air from the hot water. He let his towel drop to the floor and slipped into the shower curving his arms around the softness of the female waiting for him there. They stayed locked in each others arms for a moment than she turned to face him. He leaned forward and lightly kissed her on the cheek. He held her face and let his lips barely brush hers. Her tongue playfully licked his lips and soon their tongues were wrapped around each other as their bodies pushed against one another. He pushed her back a little and moved to gently kiss her breast. His tongue moving at first faintly and than stronger with each stroke on her nipples. She moaned slightly. He pressed his hardness against her waiting hand as his own hands pushed her legs apart and searched her body. He rubbed her feeling her body responding with each stroke. He grabbed her backside and pushed himself inside her as she wrapped hers legs around him. "Oh, Sonny," she said. "I love you so much." "I have always loved you too Karen."

Karen woke with a start. A hand was gently pressing o her shoulders and the room was a dusty black. Suddenly alight was switched on. Scott was standing above her with a puzzled look on his face. She had apparently fallen asleep on the couch.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah" she replied still in a daze from the dream.

"Good, god. I was worried you were uh moaning in your sleep."

She could feel a deep crimson red creeping over her in embarrassment. 

"I have to use the bathroom excuse me," she said and then in a rush bolted from the couch, past Scott and up the stairs.


	25. Chapter TwentyFive

Karen stood looking into the bathroom mirror. What was that dream all about? Why had Sonny suddenly made a very rude and unwelcome step back into her life? Could she secretly wish him there? No! It can't be. She had worked so hard to distance herself from her old life. That meant everything and everyone she had known. She had to make a clean and harsh cut. Noone that could hold her old life against her. So what about the dream? Hormones she decided. After all Sonny was a very attractive man, no doubt about that, so it would not be that unnatural for her to throw him into her fantasies now and again. A dream means nothing after all. It is just random images that your mind plays to occupy itself while you sleep. Nothing more, nothing less. Than why could she still feel her legs shaking from the extasy the dream produced throughout her entire body? Suddenly she heard a quiet knock on the bathroom door.

"Are you okay in there," Scott asked.

"Yes. I'll be out in a minute."

Karen splashed cold water on her face and rubbed the water spots from her cheeks. Her mind felt the water running over Sonny's muscular back. Focus! She had to focus. She took a few deep breaths and left the bathroom. Scott was waiting for her in the living room

"I thought maybe you had fallen in," he joked. "Seriously are you okay? You rushed out of here so fast I thought maybe you were sick."

"I'm fine. I just had a bad dream."

"Did you want to talk about it?"

Oh sure, Karen thought to herself. That would be a great conversation wouldn't it? Dad remember that guy I used to love when I was a drugged up stripper? You know the one you hate? Well I just had the most fantastic sex with him in my dream. Somehow she could not see Scott taking that piece of information very well.

"No, no. I don't want to talk about it. What I do want to talk about is what or rather who was waiting for me when I got here."

"What are you talking about?"

"A certain leggy blonde anxiously waiting for your return from the drugstore?"

"Okay you lost me. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes and don't try to change the subject or weasel out of this."

"Honestly I'm not I just don't know what you are talking about. I went out yes but, by myself for myself. I did not have anyone waiting here for me leggy or otherwise."

"Well then, you either are lying right to my face or I walked in on the strangest burglary in the world."

"Maybe we should slow down," Scott said gesturing for them to both sit down on the couch. 

Karen sat down on the couch and Scott followed her lead. 

"Now one more time from the beginning and please don't leave anything out."


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

  


From outside the lighthouse she had seen the entire story unfold. She had planned on only watching the lighthouse from afar, trying to truly take in all of Scott's life. Then that too tall blonde showed up. She flounced out of her car and using some sort of metal tools opened the front door in what seemed a blink of an eye. It was too much. She had to get closer. She crept up to one o the side windows. The blonde seemed to be searching for something. She opened drawers and shut them again. Papers maybe? Could that be what she was after? But, what kind of papers would Scott have that he would be keeping from anyone else? Then the blonde moved up the stairs. She had to know what was taking place in Scott's house. Had to protect him from the too tall blonde. She slid past the still open door and quietly made her way up the stairs. Her heart was pounding in her ears. She skulked along the dark hallway towards the only room with a light on. She peered into the half opened door and saw the too tall blonde again opening drawers. The Blonde picked up a dress shirt and pressed it to her face Her eyes were closed as if she was lost in a dream. She pulled the shirt away from her face a small smile danced across her mouth. "You might be trouble," she said out loud as if speaking to Scott himself "but you do make an impression." It was almost to much to bare. She wanted to run in the room, snatch the shirt away from her. "Impression?" what kind of impression would Scott possibly want to make on this disgusting women? She had no right to think about Scott that way. She held back, desperately trying to think of what the right move should be. Should she attack? Should she slink away? Should she make a noise and hope it would scare the women into leaving? Her questions were answered for her when the sound of a approaching car threw the blonde into action. Surprisingly the Blonde seemed to think stripping down was the answer. She removed her pants and shirt and slipped into the dress shirt she was still holding. Then like a flash the Blonde was out of the room, down the hall and into the living room. She barely had time to dash into on of the dark rooms behind her before the Too tall blonde rushed past. She could smell the mix of perfume and Scott's cologne in the air as the blonde bushed past her. She breathed out a sigh of relief as she listened to the Too Tall Blonde feed some silly story to Karen. She watched as the Blonde left and Karen relaxed on the couch. She knew it was risky but, she just had to go into his room. If for no other reason then to make sure the Blonde had taken nothing of her beloved Scotty. She noticed Scotty's shirt that the Blonde had been wearing was lying on the bed. She scooped it up and crumpled it into a ball and stuffed it into her purse. She did not want anything that had touched the Blonde so closely to touch him. Her fingers lightly ran across the bed. She could hear Karen make a phone call and lapse into Doctor speak concerning dosage amounts and treatment courses. She sat down on the bed and picked up one of the pillows. She hugged it to her body. His smell enveloped her just as it had that night. Their night. She would touch him again, hold him again, feel him again. He would need her again just as he had that night. She was sure of it in a way she had never been sure of anything else in her life. The phone clicked down and she could hear Karen stirring. She quickly left the bedroom and glanced downstairs. Karen was stretching out for a nap. She noticed a back stair case. As quietly as she could ,she slipped own the stairs, through the kitchen and out of the Lighthouse. 


	27. Chapter 27

  
  
  
  
  


Karen sat patiently next to Scotty. Scotty slugged down a large sized tumbler of scotch and said nothing. Part of him was hoping that Karen would simply get disgusted, give up and go away. After all, she is partially her mother's child right? Her mother was never a stubborn woman. She often left Scott up to his own devices and didn't even want to bother him to let him know they had produced a child together. Karen cleared her throat.

"You can drink the entire bottle if you want but, you are still going to answer my questions."

Unfortunately it seemed the Baldwin stubbornness was shining through loud and clear.

"I can sit here all night."

"I don't know anything about a blonde and I told you what little I do know."

What little he knew turned out to be a rather vague story about having to much to drink after a good football game last night. What game. What team. What place he had these drinks had slipped his mind. 

"What did this woman look like?" he asked.

"I told you. Tall, blonde, blue eyes, no clothes."

"Well she does sound like my kind of girl."

"Be serious."

"I am serious. I am partial to leggy blondes."

"Your partial to any woman that is breathing."

"Oh come on. I'm not that bad."

"Would you want Serena to go out with a man like you?"

"No," he said a little to quickly. 

"Exactly," said Karen. "A few months ago I would have said you were wrong. I would be proud to go out with someone who was as strong and bright as you. But now? You look as if a truck ran over you. Your clothes are disgusting. Your letting strange people into your house."

"I did not let her in. She must have broken in."

"Or you can't remember. Besides I know that lifestyle remember?"

Scotty didn't remember really. It was a part of her life he was not around to help out with. A part of her life in which he was simply another face in Port Charles not her father. The reminder that she had faced so much pain alone stung at him. He took another gulp or the alcohol. 

"When you are an addict you life is an addicts life. You have no control over all the chaos that it creates."

"I am hardly an addict. I simply over did it one night."

"And the drink in your hand now? In the middle of the afternoon?"

"Hair of the dog that bit me."

"Uh huh. Where is Serena?"

"Serena?" Panic spread over Scott. Was he supposed to pick her up? Was she at dance class? What time was it?

"You don't know do you? Your not sure or where you are at or what you are supposed to be doing." 

"She's ...she's at Lucys. She's spending the night. I just forgot momentarily."

"She is at school. It's 2:00 in the afternoon. She is not out of school yet. But, she will expect you to be there to pick her up."

"Like you expected your parents to do for you?" he asked looking into his glass as he spoke.

The memory of lonely bus rides to an even lonelier home washed over her. She sucked in her breath blinking back tears.

"I never expected anything."

"You never got anything either."

"Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Stop changing this to me to a past we can do nothing to change."

"But, that Exactly my point. You can't change your past. It's in your blood," he said giving a small bitter laugh. "No matter how hard you run it is always waiting there when you arrive."

With that he finished the last liquid in his glass, reached over to the bottle of scotch and filled the glass back up. 


End file.
